Challenging the Warlord Culture Security Sector Reform in Post-Taliban Afghanistan

paper 25 Challenging the Warlord Culture Security Sector Reform in Post-Taliban Afghanistan

Challenging the Warlord Culture: Security Sector Reform in Post-Taliban Afghanistan by Mark Sedra Published by BICC, Bonn 2002 Bonn International Center for Conversion Director: Peter J. Croll An der Elisabethkirche 25 D-53113 Bonn Germany Phone: +49-228-911960 Fax: +49-228-241215 E-mail: bicc@bicc.de Internet: www.bicc.de

Table of contents Table of contents 1. Introduction 4 2. The Re-emergence of the Warlords 5 3. Continuing Insecurity 7 3.1 The Loya Jirga and its Aftermath 7 3.2 Deteriorating Security Conditions Outside Kabul 13 3.3 Ominous Incidents 19 4. Factors Exacerbating Instability 23 4.1 Slow Disbursement of International Aid 23 4.2 Refugee Repatriation 25 4.3 U.S. Military Strategy 26 5. Security Sector Reform 28 5.1 Creation of a National Army 28 5.2 Police Reform and the Role of ISAF 32 5.3 Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration 36 of Ex-Combatants (DDR) 6. Recommendations 43 7. References 49 About the Author Mark Sedra completed his B.A. in Political Science and History at the University of Toronto and his M.Sc. in International Relations and History at the London School of Economics (LSE). He will begin his Ph.D. in the Department of Political Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in September 2003. At SOAS his research will focus on international dimensions of the continuing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Currently, he is conducting research at the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC).

Mark Sedra 1. Introduction An historic opportunity for long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan emerged with the fall of the Taliban in November 2001. For the Afghan people to seize this opportunity, they require the concerted and sustained support of the international community. After 23 arduous years marked by foreign invasion and internecine fighting the country lacks the resources and capacity to rebuild its shattered infrastructure and restore security and stability without external assistance. International organizations, donor countries, and NGOs should provide the money and technical expertise to facilitate reconstruction; however, if this process is to succeed in the long-term the Afghan people must take ownership of the process. A significant step toward the ultimate objective of a stable and economically viable Afghanistan was taken in December 2001 at the International Donors Conference in Tokyo when US $4.5 billion was pledged by donor countries for the reconstruction effort. Following this landmark meeting, talks were held in Geneva, attended by major donor countries, UN representatives and the Afghan Interim Administration (AIA), to devise a detailed plan for security sector reform in Afghanistan. The meeting resulted in an explicit commitment of donor countries to address what they recognized to be the most pertinent threat to reconstruction and peacebuilding efforts, namely the general lack of security caused principally by the resurgence of warlordism. Since the fall of the Taliban, regional warlords have set out to consolidate their positions, aggressively carving out fiefdoms throughout the country. Their power is rooted in their esteemed image as mujahidin, warriors who liberated Afghanistan from the Soviet occupation, and the patronage they receive from foreign powers such as Pakistan and Iran. Relying on illegal activity for resources, including extortion, cross border smuggling and the drug trade, and responsible for a litany of human rights violations against ethnic minorities, warlords represent an imposing challenge to the stability of Afghanistan. Accordingly, the overarching question that this paper will address is: How can the security sector be reformed to curtail the power and influence of the warlords and challenge the underlying culture of warlordism that is so deeply ingrained in Afghan society? Security sector reform is a term that can be widely interpreted, as evinced by the voluminous amount of literature produced on the subject in recent yeas. This study will focus on three specific elements of the security reform agenda that have been prioritized by stakeholders in the Afghan reconstruction process because of their significance to ongoing efforts to restore a basic level of security and stability to the country. These three pillars are: the reconstruction of a broadly representative national armed forces, the creation of a national police force, and the 4

Challenging the Warlord Culture implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs on the regional and national level. Comprehensive security sector reform is not limited to these pillars. Quite the contrary, they should serve as a foundation upon which further reform initiatives, such as judicial and prison reform, can be developed. This report aims to identify and assess the plans established to address the three pillars, the progress made thus far in the implementation of these plans, and the challenges that face the reform process at various levels. Successful security sector reform efforts in post-conflict situations recognize and strengthen potential synergies and areas of collaboration between reconstruction and reform initiatives. Development activities cannot be undertaken without a minimum level of security throughout the country, and conversely the success of security reform, most notably demobilization initiatives, necessitates a certain level of economic development. For instance, the prevailing economic incentives for Afghan men to take up arms on behalf of regional warlords should be counterbalanced through the provision of development aid. The interconnected nature of the state-building process necessitates the utilization of a holistic and flexible approach to security sector reform. This report will attempt to elucidate various areas where collaboration and coordination among the various elements of the Afghan reconstruction agenda can be established and augmented with an eye to alleviating overall insecurity. After systematically detailing the current security situation in the various regions of Afghanistan, with analyses of particularly ominous security breakdowns, this report will examine factors that have emerged in the context of the reconstruction process that have exacerbated insecurity. The report will proceed to explain how security sector reform can ameliorate these conditions. It will assess the progress of planning and implementation of reform initiatives up until September 2002 and identify obstacles that have obstructed the process. The report will conclude by offering concrete recommendations about how to make the security sector reform process more effective and productive. 2. The Re-emergence of the Warlords Before embarking on an analysis of security conditions in Afghanistan, it is important to define the fundamental problem of warlordism and identify the causes for its resurgence. Afghanistan s warlords are regional power brokers, most often tribal chieftains or militia commanders, who control militias and assert political sovereignty over areas of varying size. While the euphemistic term regional commander has been used extensively by the Western press in reference to these powerful figures, the term warlord, with its pejorative meaning intact, is the most 5

Mark Sedra Who are the warlords? appropriate means to describe them. True to the term, these figures rely on war, violence and general instability to generate resources and consolidate their power. In the absence of such volatile conditions their ability to project and perpetuate their power is limited, thus they invariably seek to promote turmoil and instability in the interest of self-preservation. The existence of warlordism in Afghanistan is not surprising, as the country lacks a tradition of strong central government. Power and authority has traditionally been widely dispersed with tribes, factions, and local military strongmen maintaining de facto control over most of the country outside Kabul. Afghanistan is divided predominantly along ethnic lines with most warlords drawing their support from ethnically homogenous constituencies. Even at the height of the Taliban s power, a significant proportion of the country remained beyond its control, particularly in the North where the Northern Alliance retained authority over large swathes of territory. Warlords generate resources to support their rule through criminal activity, aid from foreign states, duties on trade and most importantly, through taxation of their constituents. In return for the provision of taxes warlords have, to varying degrees, provided populations under their control with protection, security and a minimal level of basic services. Warlords such as Rashid Dostum and Ismail Khan maintain well-equipped private militias responsible for enforcing their rule. This is a clear violation of the terms of the Bonn Agreement, endorsed by both Dostum and Khan, which stipulates that all mujahidin, Afghan armed forces and armed groups in the country shall come under the command and control of the Interim Authority (Bonn Agreement, Section V. Article 1). These two figures, perhaps Afghanistan s most powerful warlords, also control the dissemination of information in their strongholds through their control of the local media. The unremitting tension and conflict between rival warlords that is an omnipresent feature of contemporary Afghanistan is also well established in the country s history. The only force that has traditionally united the disparate tribes and ethnic groups of Afghanistan has been foreign invasion. When external threats have been absent, Afghans have normally retreated into their ethnic enclaves and engaged in hostilities with rival groups over resources and territory. However, currently, the most influential factor generating conflict is the voracious personal ambition of individual warlords. While it is clear that the warlords pose a unique and daunting challenge to the new regime, any process to sideline them would encounter a violent reaction that the central government would likely be unable to handle without outside intervention. While it is unrealistic to assume that the influence of Afghanistan s warlords can be eliminated in the short-term, it is conceivable that they can be reigned in or subordinated through an approach combining 6

Challenging the Warlord Culture incentives with coercion. During this tenuous period of statebuilding it is unwise to pursue a policy of centralization too far; to gain the acquiescence of warlords it may be wise for the Afghan Transitional Authority (ATA) to accord them a certain degree of regional autonomy. This is expedient because as long as the government lacks security forces capable of controlling and subordinating these figures, regional warlords represent the only force capable of maintaining security in many areas. It is inevitable that certain recalcitrant warlords will remain unresponsive to the appeals and threats of the central government, thereby necessitating the use of force. In such cases, the international community, and particularly coalition military forces active in the continuing war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, must provide the central government with their full support to ensure that its writ is upheld. 3. Continuing Insecurity 3.1 The Loya Jirga and its Aftermath The opening of the Emergency Loya Jirga on 10 June 2002 represented a seminal moment in the recent history of Afghanistan. Considering the fact that the country had emerged from a 23-year civil war only eight months before, this experiment with democracy was remarkably successful. 1575 delegates from all of Afghanistan s 33 provinces, including 200 women 1, descended upon Kabul for the first expression of democracy in the country in over 20 years (IWPR, 11 June 2002). The very fact that the Loya Jirga was held without major incident was a success in of itself. However, it was impeded by a myriad of problems that clearly illustrate the imposing challenges that lie ahead for the transitional government in its effort to stabilize Afghanistan. From its inception, the assembly s proceedings were fraught with both technical and broader security related problems. Reports indicate that during the delegate selection process prior to the Loya Jirga, at least eight prospective members of the assembly were killed (IRIN, 27 May 2002). Although the motives behind the slayings remain uncertain, most observers indicate that they were probably politically motivated. Following the Loya Jirga, Lakhdar Brahimi, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Afghanistan, lamented that the process was marred by intimidation, violence, bribery and harassment of delegates by local warlords (Far Eastern Economic Review, 27 June 2002). 1 Three of the 21 members of the assembly s commission were women. Several women were directly elected to the assembly but the majority were selected by the Loya Jirga organizers. 7

Mark Sedra Loya Jirga Election of Karzai The assembly began inauspiciously with the chairman of the Loya Jirga Commission, Ismail Qassimyar, issuing delegate status to the governors of all 33 provinces and an undisclosed number of major and minor warlords. These individuals had been barred from the earlier selection process due to a vague provision of the Bonn Agreement stipulating that past perpetrators of violence against the Afghan people, a veiled description of the warlords, would be excluded from the process. An equally ominous sign was the presence of tens of unarmed agents of the Amaniyat or National Security Directorate (NSD), controlled by the powerful Panjshiri Tajik faction. Ostensibly present to provide security, numerous delegates complained that they were subjected to intimidation by the Amaniyat. (New York Times, 21 June 2002) Needless to say, these developments greatly encumbered the ability of delegates to freely express themselves. Compounding the consternation and frustration of delegates was a general feeling that the democratic process had been circumvented by backroom deals brokered by external powers such as the United States. A delegate from Khost, known only as Assadullah, expressed the palpable sense of exasperation shared by delegates in a statement to an Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) correspondent. He stated: We feel the issues have already been resolved and our presence is only needed as a rubber stamp (IWPR, 17 June 2002). Former King Zahir Shah s decision to remove himself from candidacy for president in spite of the fact that a large proportion of the Pashtun delegates at the assembly supported him, a move which had all the hallmarks of U.S. intervention, appeared to confirm this fear. U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, made no effort to refute the perception that the U.S. had meddled in the process, candidly stating that he had secured a postponement of the assembly to ascertain the true position of the king (IWPR, 17 June 2002). It is widely accepted that during this delay the U.S. envoy exerted tremendous pressure on the Shah to renounce his candidacy, ensuring that Hamid Karzai would have no major challenger in the presidential selection process. Pashtun delegates already displeased by their lack of representation in the interim administration and incidents of discrimination and ethnic violence carried out against Pashtun communities since the fall of the Taliban, reacted with fury to the announcement. It appeared that one of the very purposes of the Loya Jirga, to attain a consensus among Afghanistan s disparate ethnic groups, was imperiled in a moment. Yet the subsequent election of Karzai, also a Pashtun, seemed to allay the concerns of many delegates. In the first broadly representative election held in Afghanistan since the last Loya Jirga was held in 1977, Hamid Karzai won 1,295 of 1,575 ballots, defeating his two challengers, one of whom made history by being the first woman to run for president in the country (New York Times, 14 June 2002). The 8

Challenging the Warlord Culture enthusiasm generated by the historic democratic expression soon dissipated with the announcement of Hamid Karzai s cabinet. The hopes of many delegates and ordinary Afghans that the new administration would distance itself from the warlords that epitomized Afghanistan s violent past were dashed with the announcement that several prominent warlords were awarded cabinet posts (See Box A for list of ATA cabinet). During a press conference on 19 June at which he disclosed his cabinet choices, Karzai averred that the goal of striking an ethnic balance inspired his selections. Quoting from an Afghan proverb, he explained, If a Tajik is not part Pashtun he is not a Tajik. And if a Pashtun is not part Tajik he is not a Pashtun (Financial Times, 19 June 2002). These poetic words did little to console reform minded Afghans who felt Karzai s cabinet formulation undermined efforts to distance the central government from the warlords and specifically the powerful Panjshiri Tajik faction. BOX A: List of Ministers in the Afghan Transitional Administration President: Hamid Karzai, Pashtun. Deputy Presidents: Mohammed Fahim, Tajik Karim Khalili, Hazara Abdul Qadir, Pashtun Special Advisor on Security: Yunis Qanooni, Tajik. Cabinet: Defense Minister: Mohammed Fahim, Tajik. Foreign Minister: Abdullah, Tajik. Finance Minister: Ashraf Ghani, Pashtun. Interior Minister: Taj Mohammed Wardak, Pashtun. Planning Minister: Mohammed Mohaqik, Hazara. Communications Minister: Masoom Stanakzai, Pashtun. Borders Minister: Arif Nurzai: Pashtun but from a Tajikdominated party. Refugees Minister: Intayatullah Nazeri, Tajik. Mines Minister: Juma M. Mahammadi, Pashtun. Light Industries Minister: Mohammed Alim Razm, Uzbek. Public Health Minister: Dr. Sohaila Siddiqi, Pashtun. Commerce Minister: Sayed Mustafa Kasemi, Shiite Muslim. Agriculture Minister: Sayed Hussain Anwari, Hazara. Justice Minister: Abbas Karimi, Uzbek 9

Mark Sedra Information and Culture Minister: Saeed Makhdoom Rahim, Tajik. Reconstruction Minister: Mohammed Fahim Farhang, Pashtun Haj and Mosques Minister: Mohammed Amin Naziryar, Pashtun Urban Affairs Minister: Yusuf Pashtun, Pashtun Public Works Minister: Abdul Qadir, Pashtun Social Affairs Minister: Noor Mohammed Karkin, Turkman Water and Power Minister: Ahmed Shakar Karkar, Uzbek Irrigation and Environment Minister: Ahmed Yusuf Nuristani, Pashtun Martyrs and Disabled Minister: Abdullah Wardak, Pashtun Higher Education Minister: Sharif Faez, Tajik Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister: Mir Wais Saddiq, Tajik Transportation Minister: Saeed Mohammed Ali Jawad, Shiite Education Minister: Yunis Qanooni, Tajik Rural Development Minister: Hanif Asmar, Pashtun Minister of Women s Affairs: Mahboba Hoqooqmal Source: Associated Press, 22 June 2002 ATA cabinet Led by Marshall Mohammad Qasim Fahim, the Panjshiri faction retained its predominant position in the fledgling government, receiving one of the five newly created vice president posts and two of the three power ministries, Defense (Fahim) and Foreign Affairs (Dr. Abdullah). The group was stripped of the Interior Ministry portfolio, which it held in the Interim Administration, when Yunis Qaooni stepped down in favor of Pashtun Taj Mohammad Wadrak. The impact of this change has been limited since no alterations were made to the leadership structures of the army, police, and intelligence services, which remain firmly under the grip of the Tajiks. Also, in a concession to Qaooni, who became dissatisfied with the Minister of Education portfolio that he was allocated in the Karzai cabinet, he was also appointed Special Advisor on Internal Security, a position that allows him to continue to wield influence over the security apparatus. Members of the security services have already unofficially indicated that they do not support Wadrak, an 80- year-old naturalized American who only returned to Afghanistan earlier this year. Under these adverse conditions it remains questionable whether Wadrak can enact the changes needed to reform the security services. Although the majority-pashtuns were awarded more cabinet positions than any other ethnic group including the key ministries of Finance, Communications, and Reconstruction, they remain underrepresented in the government and it is clear that balance of power rests with the Tajiks. The appointments have served to 10

Challenging the Warlord Culture enhance Pashtun suspicion of both Karzai and the central government, arousing accusations that Karzai is a puppet of the Panjshiri Tajiks and America. It is widely accepted that Pashtun support is essential for the survival of the new central government, thus the trend of growing Pashtun discontent is extremely disconcerting. Many observers fear that Pashtun frustration may be channeled into renewed support for extremist groups such as the Taliban or Hizb-e-Islami, the extremist Islamist party led by former Prime Minister Gulbaddin Hekmatyar. Anti-government factions and other disaffected groups are beginning to coalesce around Hekmatyar and the remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the south and east, creating a potent force, fiercely opposed to the present regime. In an interview with Ahmed Rashid, a respected author and journalist who has covered Afghanistan for many years, an anonymous Western aid worker stated: The Pashtuns are fed up there is seething unrest in the eastern and southern provinces (Far Eastern Economic Review, 19 September 2002) The Pashtun community was not alone in its disappointment regarding Karzai s cabinet choices; other Afghan ethnic groups, including the Hazaras and the Uzbeks, as well as Western diplomats and UN officials have voiced their concern and displeasure. According to one senior European diplomat in Kabul, Karzai has only demonstrated his weakness and his inability to take hard decisions, which will increase instability outside Kabul and infuriate the Pashtuns (Eurasia Insight, 26 June 2002). Many observers castigated Karzai for failing to build upon the momentum generated by the massive endorsement he received at the Loya Jirga. It was hoped that this wave of popular support would provide him with the political maneuverability necessary to take on the warlords and assert the central government s control over the entire country. Realistically, Karzai had little choice but to incorporate the warlords and especially the Panjshiri Tajik faction into the administration. The Panjshiri Tajiks, and particularly Minister of Defense Fahim, possess the most powerful military force in the country; to exclude them from decision-making would likely be imprudent and self-defeating. By conferring a semblance of political legitimacy to warlords within the new regime, Karzai hopes to persuade these individuals to abandon the kalashnikov in favor of the ballot box. In spite of such efforts, critical regional figures such as Ismail Khan in the West and Rashid Dostum in the North continue to steadfastly resist the efforts of Karzai to subordinate them to Kabul, turning down prominent postings that would have required their permanent presence in the capital. It is essential that both figures, who have flouted Karzai s authority on several occasions, be persuaded to recognize the sovereignty of the transitional government. Pashtun discontent 11

Mark Sedra Insecurity in Kabul Cabinet assassinations Continuing factional violence throughout the country has illustrated the fragility of Karzai s government. Kabul appeared to be immune from such instability, primarily due to the presence of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF); however, in July and August 2002 a series of events illustrated the potential vulnerability of the capital. The assassination of Vice President Abdul Qadir, a powerful Pashtun warlord and member of the Northern Alliance, viewed as one of the few figures who could act as a bridge between the Pashtun community and Afghanistan s other ethnic groups, has prompted many to question the viability of the transitional government. Qadir was killed on 6 July 2002 in broad daylight outside the Ministry of Public Works where he served as minister in addition to his position as Vice President. A commission was established to investigate the assassination and ISAF has actively assisted their investigative efforts, but other than the arrests of several of Qadir s bodyguards who are suspected of colluding in the murder, little progress has been made in the case. There are numerous theories about the killing currently circulating, ranging from the contention that Al Qaeda was responsible to vague allegations that the Panjshiri Tajiks are implicated, yet none have been substantiated by any semblance of fact (AP, 16 July 2002; New York Times, 29 July 2002). The assassination sent shock-waves through Afghanistan and the international community. An immediate consequence of the murder, and the subsequent suspicions that the Panjshiri Tajiks were implicated, was Karzai s decision to replace the bodyguards assigned to him by the Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) with U.S. Special Forces. In September 2002, the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service are scheduled to replace the 70 U.S. Special Forces soldiers currently guarding Karzai and will retain this role for the foreseeable future. While this bold political decision reassured the international community, petrified by the prospect of Karzai s assassination, it has exacerbated tension between Karzai and the Defense Ministry. It will not be easy to weed out the culprits of the killing since Qadir, like most Afghan warlords, had no shortage of enemies. Nevertheless, with the February assassination of Tourism and Aviation Minister Abdul Rahim unsolved, the credibility of the Karzai administration will be irrevocably damaged if the investigation does not result in the capture of the assassins. The Pashtun community has viewed the killing as merely another indication of the existence of a conspiracy against it. On 26 July, 3,000 Pashtuns, including numerous tribal leaders and government officials, rallied in Jalalabad to demand that the government arrest the killers of Qadir, warning that failure to do so could spark unrest among the majority Pashtun community (AP, 26 July 2002). A similar demonstration, attended by thousands of demonstrators, was held on 2 August 2002 in Khost 12

Challenging the Warlord Culture City. It is clear that if the government cannot insulate its cabinet from the instability that engulfs the country the people will lose faith in its capacity to govern. The tenuous position of the ATA and the rising level of insecurity in Kabul were further revealed by incidents which transpired on 7 August and 5 September 2002. On 7 August, 15 people were killed after an Al Qaeda guerilla force, allegedly composed predominantly of Arabs and Pakistanis, attacked an Afghan Army outpost on the outskirts of Kabul (AP, 7 August 2002). One month later in Kandahar, a gunman opened fire on the motorcade of Hamid Karzai, narrowly missing the ATA President. Within hours of the assassination attempt, a car bomb was detonated in Kabul, killing 30 people and injuring hundreds (International Herald Tribune, 7-8 September 2002). The attacks have been attributed to Hekmatyar, Al Qaeda and the Taliban. These events, which will be described in more detail later in this report, suggest that Al Qaeda and the Taliban are far from a spent force. Reports that remnants of Al Qaeda and Taliban have joined forces with Hekmatyar s Hizb-e-Islami faction lend credence to this view (Far Eastern Economic Review, 19 September 2002). Attacks against the government have gradually increased in intensity and severity in 2002, a disturbing trend that may be a sign of two important developments: the anti-government opposition is organizing and consolidating its position and the new regime is beginning to unravel. 3.2 Deteriorating Security Conditions Outside Kabul Violence and turmoil, spurred by economic stagnation and ethnic tension, wracked numerous regions of the country in the summer of 2002. Similar strife during the early 1990s by many of the same parties that are now in power locally involved serious and widespread violations of human rights and paved the way for the rise of the Taliban. The historical parallels between the present security situation and that which existed immediately prior to the Taliban s ascent to power, while limited, should not be overlooked. Security conditions in certain regional centers appear to have reverted to the status quo ante of 1992. Some Afghans have begun to question whether their lives were better off under the repressive Taliban. As one man from Khost, who asked not to be identified, told an IWPR correspondent: The Taliban were dangerous for the world but they were better for us because they brought security. When the Western forces drove them out, we were left in the middle of local conflicts like before (IWPR, 2 August 2002). The following section will provide a regional breakdown of the security situations in the country. 13

Mark Sedra 3.2.1 North Insecurity: North The predominantly ethnic Tajik Jamiat-i-Islami forces control the northeast and compete for power in the rest of the northern provinces with the ethnic Uzbek-dominated militia Junbish-i-Milli and the mostly Hazara militia, Hezb-Wahadat. Long-standing tensions between AIA Deputy Defense Minister Rashid Dostum (Uzbek, Head of Junbish-i-Milli and Transitional Government Special Representative to the North) and Mohammad Usta Atta (Tajik, Jamiat-i-Islami commander, and officially Corps Commander for four northern provinces) have erupted into clashes throughout the north since November. There have been two bouts of serious fighting in the region this year, once in January, when dozens of men were killed in fighting in the vicinity of Mazar-i-Sharif, and again in early May. In May, clashes in Sar-i- Pul and Sholgara, just south of Mazar-i-Sharif claimed the lives of 30 people (AFP, 01 May 2002). A truce was reached on 2 May 2002 following UN-mediated negotiations. The truce included an agreement to prohibit weapons in Mazar-i-Sharif except for members of a new 600-person police force made up of fighters from the various factions in the area (AFP, 01 May 2002). Like many agreements that preceded this one, it was short-lived. Fighting between the rival militias, particularly between the forces of Dostum and Mohammad Atta, have periodically erupted in and around Mazar-i-Sharif ever since. The implications of the instability caused by these clashes have been devastating for the local population numbering more than two million. The lawlessness, which pervades the region, has seriously hindered the efforts of the UN and the international aid community to deliver humanitarian assistance, arousing fears of an impending humanitarian disaster. A string of disturbing attacks on aid bodies has prompted the UN to consider suspending aid operations and some NGO s to withdraw altogether. In mid-june, unknown assailants fired upon the convoy of an American aid organization, and two Swedish Committee for Afghanistan staff members were shot and wounded after refusing to give a ride in their vehicle to a group of militiamen (IRIN, 17 July 2002). The most disturbing incident, however, occurred on 8 June 2002 when a French aid worker was dragged from her car and gang raped near Mazar-i-Sharif (IRIN, 17 May 2002). Following this attack, the UN withdrew all female aid staff from field missions in the North and the UN s special envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, issued a stern warning to Hamid Karzai stating that relief work was at risk from the climate of fear and insecurity in the region (AP, 25 June 2002). The steady flow of refugees into the North has exacerbated instability; approximately 180,000 refugees have returned to the six provinces of the region since the fall of the Taliban (AFP, 11 July 2002). UNHCR briefly suspended refugee repatriation 14

Challenging the Warlord Culture programs in the north in early June due to a wave of abuses against ethnic minorities, in particular the Pashtun minority. In March, Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented more than 150 cases of murder, looting and gang-rape of ethnic Pashtuns in the north, where they are a minority among ethnic Uzbeks and Tajiks (AFP, 25 June 2002). UNHCR resumed its repatriation efforts only after receiving assurances from the north s principal warlords that steps would be taken to protect returning refugees. In an effort to reduce tension in the north, the UN has interceded to mediate an end to the continuing hostilities. The forces of Dostum and Atta, in addition to representatives of the Hazara community, began UN-brokered talks on disarming their men in July. Disarmament is seen as the key to peace in the region by many observers and residents. However, the problem far exceeds that of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, for what makes the stand-off at Mazar-i-Sharif different from that of other violent flash-points in the country is the fact that all sides possess heavy weaponry, including tanks and artillery. Dostum and Atta have surrounded Mazar-i-Sharif with tanks on numerous occasions, although they have not been involved in any fighting (IWPR, 02 August 2002). Fueling the rivalry is the external support provided to Dostum and Atta by the Uzbek government and the Afghan Ministry of Defense respectively. Dostum receives some support, although it is not clear how much, from the government of Uzbekistan. He is currently guarded by a close protection unit seconded from the Special Forces of Uzbekistan (Jane s Intelligence Review, August 2002). Atta, who commands Defense Minister Fahim s 7 th Army Corps based at Mazar-i-Sharif, receives material and political support from the Afghan Ministry of Defense (Jane s Intelligence Review, August 2002). Hostilities will persist until the support being funneled to these factions is cut off. The north, and Mazar-i-Sharif in particular, can be seen as a litmus test by which the long-term viability of the Karzai regime can be assessed. Unfortunately, the government s record in this region has been less than exemplary and the tension that currently engulfs the area shows no sign of diminishing. One potential solution to this problem would be the extension of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Mazar-i-Sharif, but as will be explained later, prominent members of the international community have displayed a reluctance to support such an initiative. Rivalry in Mazar 3.2.2 West Ismail Khan, the nominally Jamiat but fiercely independent governor of Herat province, is the dominant power in the West, primarily due to the patronage of Iran. Khan is likely Afghanistan s most powerful regional leader; his support is Insecurity: West 15

Mark Sedra Ismail Khan essential if the government wishes to extend its authority to the western provinces of Afghanistan. Although this region was, for the most part, spared from the instability and violence that engulfed the rest of the country in the months immediately following the fall of the Taliban, fighting has emerged in late July and early August 2002 between Ismail Khan and two of his Pashtun rivals, Amanullah Khan and Kareem Khan. In late July 2002, skirmishes between the ethnic Tajik forces loyal to Ismail Khan and the ethnic Pashtun followers of Amanullah Khan erupted around a former military base about 80 miles west of Herat, Ismail Khan s stronghold (Washington Post, 25 July 2002). The base marks the point of convergence between the-tajik dominanted northwest and the majority-pashtun southwest; it has been heavily contested since the withdrawal of the Soviets. The Karzai administration, determined to halt the spread of instability to this key region straddling the border of Iran, and eager to enhance its profile and authority in the area, dispatched a delegation consisting of a vice president and three cabinet ministers to broker a truce to the conflict. Since Karzai lacks the capability to enforce the peace he is intent on fostering the impression that the ATA is at least capable of mediating disputes. This has emerged as one of the dominant strategies of the ATA to raise its profile around the country; they have sent a multitude of commissions and delegations in recent months to various parts of the country to negotiate with regional commanders and serve as interlocutors in local disputes. This strategy has been marginally successful in the west only because Ismail Khan chose to cede a role to Kabul in negotiations to resolve hostilities. In a statement issued after consultations with the government delegation, Khan affirmed: Afghanistan is one country, and the central government has the right whenever there s a dispute or difficulty to go there and solve the problem (Washington Post, 25 July 2002). However, in spite of this declaration of support for the central government, Khan continues to represent a salient risk to the Karzai government. He has been reluctant to fully cooperate with the development of a national army or to hand over tax revenues from trade with neighboring Iran. 2 Perhaps what is most disturbing though is the steady rise in the incidence of violent confrontations between Khan s militias and those of less powerful warlords in the region. In a replay of the events of late July, Ismail Khan s forces fought pitched battles with a Pashtun militia under the command of Mohammad Kareem Khan in early August 2002. The Pakistanbased Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported that 50 soldiers and 2 There is speculation that Khan generates upwards of US $200,000 per day from duties imposed on cross border trade with Iran (Kingma, interview, 21 September 2002). 16

Challenging the Warlord Culture civilians were killed in fighting on 1 August near Ghurian, some 40 miles west of Herat City (Reuters, 02 August 2002). Spokespersons for Ismail Khan claimed that the governor s forces had attacked the Pashtun militia to curb its continued involvement in smuggling and looting. Conversely, representatives of Kareem Khan claimed that they were protecting Pashtun villages from frequent raids and looting of Tajik forces (Reuters, 02 August 2002). Although these conflicting allegations have not been independently substantiated, the clashes are the byproduct of the ongoing power struggle between Ismail Khan, supported by Iran, and the western Pashtun communities. 3.2.3 East Eastern Afghanistan is controlled by a diverse array of Pashtun commanders, most notably Pacha Khan Zadran. While the continuing conflict in the North is surely the most potentially explosive problem in the country, Pacha Khan Zadran can be described as the biggest thorn in the side of the central government. Zadran was appointed governor of Paktia Province in the initial days of the AIA; however, the Gardez Shura (governing council) rejected his appointment. The AIA responded by appointing an alternative civilian governor, Taj Mohammed Wadrak (AP, 29 April 2002). Refusing to accept this decision, Zadran launched rocket attacks on the central bazarre of Gardez, the provincial capital, killing several people. Zadran s fighters subsequently surrounded Gardez; he indicated that they would not withdraw until Wadrak s appointment was annulled. Hundreds of combatants and civilians have been killed in factional fighting in Paktia Province since November (New York Times, 6 August 2002). A similar situation has emerged in Khost province where Zadran has also refused to accept the authority of the AIAappointed governor. Pacha Khan Zadran s brother, Karmal Khan, has occupied the governor s office since December 2001. Accordingly, the new governor, Hakim Taniwal, a retired sociologist who had been living in Australia, has been unable to assert his authority. On 24 May 2002, the AIA threatened to send troops to dislodge Zadran s forces if he did not back down; Zadran appeared unmoved by the threat. In a decision that greatly damaged the credibility of the central government, Karzai backed down from his threat. The rift between Karzai and Zadran is deep, dating back to the Bonn Conference in December when Zadran was promised the governorship of Paktia Province, an offer that was subsequently rescinded. Zadran s disenchantment with Karzai was made ever more apparent at the June Loya Jirga when he walked out in protest at ex-king Zahir Shah s withdrawal from the presidential race. Zadran, a Pashtun like the ex-king, publicly Insecurity: East 17

Mark Sedra declared that the assembly s failure to elect the Shah head of state would lead to bloodshed. Zadran is intent on uniting the four southern Pashtun provinces of eastern Afghanistan, Paktia, Logar, Paktika and Khost, into greater Paktia. He has been able to assert effective control over Khost, Paktia, and Paktika, but there are now rumblings that the Karzai government is prepared to challenge his authority. In a press conference during the week of 5 August 2002, a spokesperson for Mr. Karzai, Omar Samad, stated that the government, while endeavoring to show restraint with Zadran, was beginning to lose its patience. He went on to say that the ATA may have to resort to other means in dealing with Zadran, however, he was unwilling to elucidate what that meant (New York Times, 6 August 2002). It is certainly desirable and in the best interests of the transitional government to dislodge Zadran. The provinces under his control are in a state of anarchy with crime and lawlessness rampant. In Khost City, young men and boys as young as 12 years of age carry arms and few policemen patrol the streets (IWPR, 2 August 2002). The adverse security situation would be ameliorated considerably if the central government were able to consolidate its position in the east at the expense of Zadran; however, under current conditions it is unlikely that it will be able to do so without a significant amount of bloodshed. Apart from the loss of life that will almost assuredly ensue from any operation launched against Zadran, there is another danger that may render such a move prohibitive. If Zadran successfully resists the assaults of the central government, the impotence of the Karzai regime would be revealed for all to see. Such a perception of infirmity could very well plunge Afghanistan back into civil war. One of the main complications hindering ATA attempts to oust Zadran is the fact that he is still actively supported by the United States military in their efforts to eradicate the last vestiges of Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in southern and eastern Afghanistan. According to Zadran, out of the 6,000 soldiers under his command, 600 are in the direct pay of America (New York Times, 6 August 2002). The Americans have also equipped Zadran with weapons and sophisticated communications equipment such as satellite phones. America s continued support of Zadran has effectively given him carte blanche to continue his destabilizing activities in the southeast. If he is to be removed, the United States must cease supporting him and lend weight to any ATA initiative to remove him from the political scene. 3.2.4 South Southern Afghanistan, predominantly composed of Pashtuns, is controlled by a myriad of Pashtun warlords. Human Rights Watch reported in a June report, based on a fact-finding mission 18

Challenging the Warlord Culture carried out in this region, that the Taliban and Hizb-e-Islami, the extremist Islamist movement led by former Afghan Prime Minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, had reemerged in many of the southern provinces. While the influence of these groups is exaggerated by the HRW report, their mere existence is a sign that the government s position in this vital region is precarious. The report observed a general absence of the rule of law and described an atmosphere of intimidation, violence, and repression (Human Rights Watch, June 2002). According to an unidentified Afghan journalist in Zabul Province, the administration from the Taliban era remains largely intact; the notorious Ministry of Prevention of Vice and Virtue, a Taliban agency responsible for maintaining social control and enforcing Sharia law, was supposedly still meting out punishments. The principal southern city of Kandahar is marred by widespread violence and criminality, most of which is carried out by soldiers under the employ of the government. The following is an account of the manager of one of Kandahar s hospitals: They [soldiers] steal everything they get their hands on. Sexual relations between men and boys are still around Their conduct is still the way it was under the Taliban. They do not understand the value of what has happened in the past few months (Human Rights Watch, June 2002). As in eastern Afghanistan, the ability of the government to bring the southern warlords to heel is constrained by their ties to U.S. and coalition forces. The warlords support of American military operations has imbued them with the impression that as long as this cooperative arrangement remains intact they can act with impunity. This perception must be vigorously resisted by the United States and the ATA. Insecurity: South 3.3 Ominous Incidents In addition to documenting general conditions of insecurity, it is important to highlight particular incidents and occurrences that illustrate broader threats to Afghan stability. In particular there are six events that deserve mention: the assassinations of cabinet ministers Abdul Rahman and Abdul Qadir, the two assassination attempts on Hamid Karzai, the grenade attack against a UN office, and the Al Qaeda assault on an Afghan army outpost on the outskirts of Kabul. 3.3.1 Cabinet Assassinations The assassinations of Abdul Rahman, Interim Minister of Aviation and Tourism, in February 2002 and Abdul Qadir, ATA Vice President and Minister of Public Works, in July 2002 are telling signs of the fragility of the central government and the 19

Mark Sedra Karzai-Fahim Rivalry general lack of security in both Kabul and the rest of the country. Both men were killed in broad daylight under suspicious circumstances Rahman was beaten to death on his plane by a mob of pilgrims incensed over being forced to wait hours for flights to Mecca and Qadir was shot outside his office in Kabul neither case has been solved. These murders are especially irksome because rumors have linked both to members of the government associated to the Panjshiri Tajik faction. Shortly after the murder of Rahman, Hamid Karzai accused three government officials, who are all members of Jamiat-i-Islami, including an intelligence chief in the Interior Ministry, of involvement in the murder (Dawn, 28 February 2002). Similarly, there is a great deal of speculation circulating in Afghanistan that General Fahim may be implicated in the assassination of Qadir (New York Times, 29 July 2002). Fahim has strenuously rejected such allegations, referring to them as malicious rumors (New York Times, 18 August 2002). Whether or not the speculation about Tajik involvement in the two assassinations is founded in fact, these murders revealed deep fissures in the transitional government. In particular, tension between Karzai and Fahim, once latent, has been brought to the fore. Since being elected President of the ATA, Karzai has gradually shown a greater willingness to challenge the authority of Fahim. In late July, he went as far as ordering Fahim to drastically reduce the number of Panjshiris in the Defense Ministry and replace them with non-tajiks, a move which infuriated Fahim (Washington Post, 5 August 2002). Karzai s growing boldness has aroused fears among his supporters that Fahim may respond violently to these unexpected challenges. According to a close aid of Karzai, for six months Fahim dictated to Karzai, and he was the most powerful man in Afghanistan. Now he is worried that may change. he [Karzai] is in danger (Washington Post, 5 August 2002). Karzai s decision to sack the body guards assigned to him by the Defense Ministry in favor of U.S. Special Forces was intended to allay fears for his safety, but in effect it has heightened growing tension within the cabinet. At the bequest of the international community, Fahim has dismissed reports of a rift between him and Karzai. At a 17 August 2002 news conference following talks between Fahim and U.S. Afghanistan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, Fahim affirmed: In the cabinet and in particular between me [Fahim] and Karzai there is no difference and we have close and sincere working relations (Reuters, 17 August 2002). In spite of such hollow declarations, assuredly made for American consumption, Karzai has few options but to continue to assail the power-base of Fahim. Unity cannot be achieved as long as the Panjshiris retain such a disproportionate amount of power in the central government. A clash between Karzai and Fahim appears almost inevitable in light of their divergent visions of Afghanistan s 20

Challenging the Warlord Culture future. To avoid a resumption of civil war and ensure that the gains made thus far in the state-building process are preserved, the U.S. government and the international community must resolutely back Karzai in this looming dispute. 3.3.2 Karzai Assassination Attempts Two attempts to assassinate Hamid Karzai, uncovered within two months of each other, illustrate that Karzai, and by extension the government which he leads, is extremely vulnerable. The first attempt came on 29 July 2002 when a would-be suicide bomber, with more than half a ton of explosives packed into a car, was apprehended several hundred yards away from the President s office after he was stopped by police due to a chance traffic accident (Washington Post, 30 July 2002). An Afghan intelligence chief announced a day after the incident that the assailant admitted to interrogators that he had been ordered by Al Qaeda to assassinate President Karzai, or failing that, to kill foreigners (AP, 31 July 2002). The intelligence official went on to say that the bomb involved was extremely sophisticated and that the plot originated in Pakistan (AP, 31 July 2002). The second attempt on Karzai s life, which transpired on 5 September 2002, came alarmingly close to succeeding. The attack occurred during a visit by Karzai to the southern city of Kandahar. A lone gunmen, a man recently hired by provincial security officials, opened fire on Karzai s motorcade as it left the residence of Kandahar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai. The assailant, who was killed by U.S. Special Forces assigned to protect Karzai, wounded Governor Sherzai and killed three Afghans (International Herald Tribune, 7-8 September 2002). Kandahar security officials announced the day after the attack that 14 Afghan suspects had been arrested in connection to the crime, including the security director of the governor s mansion. They also claimed that the plot was masterminded by Al Qaeda (New York Times, 7 September 2002). Accentuating the shock generated by this incident was the fact that within three hours of the assassination attempt a massive car bomb, identified by the ATA as the work of Al Qaeda and/or Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, was detonated in Kabul, killing 30 and wounding 170 (New York Times, 7 September 2002). The death of Karzai would undoubtedly be a catastrophic blow to the ATA; he represents the lynchpin in the tenuous multi-ethnic consensus that underlies the nascent regime and is the symbol of Afghanistan s renewed legitimacy on the international stage. Remove Karzai and this fragile consensus will disintegrate and foreign support for reconstruction will dissipate due to a lack of international confidence in the stability of the regime. Essentially, the ATA will collapse like a house of cards. Attacks on Karzai 21